After five consecutive games against teams below them in the Premiership, Wolves last three games of the season are all against teams currently in the top eight, starting today at Tottenham Hotspur.
Wolves will certainly be hoping to continue the progress made last week when they came back from a 1 - 0 deficit to beat Brighton 2 - 1 with a much changed team - the first PL team to feature five payers born this century!! However it will be a stern test against a team hoping to at least qualify for next season's Europa League.
Games away to Spurs have proved very successful for Wolves in the past two seasons winning both by 3 - 1, then 3 - 2, firstly at Wembley, then at their new home ground. Last season's win featured goals from Doherty, Jota and Jiminez - none of whom will be playing today of course, but Adama Traore was also a major player in the game so it will be hoped that he can feature once again.
For their part Spurs are likely to feature the front three of Harry Kane, Heung Min Son and Gareth Bale, so our defence are likely to have their work cut out.
The big question for Wolves fans will be whether coach Nuno Espirito Santo will continue his use of the younger members of his squad to assess for next season, or will revert to using his more experienced players. Willy Boly has now recovered from the effects of Covid-19 and may make a return, whilst Marcal has rejoined the squad in training this week. Sadly this is still a step too early for Raul Jiminez.
The game will be screened as part of Sky Sports Super Sunday programme. Our referee will be the hugely experienced Martin Atkinson with Stuart Atwell on VAR duty.
This board will endeavour to carry regular updates on the progress of the game and members are encouraged to post their own observations for the benefit of those unable to watch it.
Would have liked to have seen Kilman in defence and Ait-Nouri at left-back but Nuno knows more than me. May as well use these final matches to try things as we are basically playing out the season.
Quite surprised and a tad disappointed that Kilman has been left out for Saiss to return, but perhaps Nuno is going for experience considering the Spurs front line. Also surprised to see RAN left out but it will give Hoever another chance.
Looking like a match that Nuno is using to test some of our youngsters again and with nothing to lose all I am hoping for is a good effort from them all. Some youngsters on the bench too who will be hoping to get some time on the pitch today. Fingers crossed.
Fabio gets past Dier & gets a shot away which Loris collects. Good run from defence from Adama- he feeds Fabio whose shot goes for a corner. Long corner from Joao & Loris gets it at second attempt
Really poor pass by Vitinha spoils a promising attack. Some strong tackles coming in on our youngsters. Saiss fouls Lo Celso 5 yds outside our area. Bale to take and well collected by Rui
Good defending by Saiss then CC then Hoever feeds Adama who gets into the area but no-one available to him - story of his season!! More good defending by CC for a corner. CC keeps it out twice with Southgate watching on. Fabio tries a shot but wide again. Kane gets free and rounds Rui to score. VAR need to check offside but OK
Spurs 1 Wolves 0
Half time whistle after a fairly even first half although Spurs have had the best chances & we have had to defend well. We are short of threat and accuracy upfront again, and our midfield is pretty weak too.
A typical opportunist goal by Kane when the commentators were still praising CC for his defending to keep him out!! He rounded CC & Rui to fire into a empty net.
More good defending needed in 2nd half to keep the score down
Spurs 1 Wolves 0
Alli pushe Joao over for a free kick on the wing & Saiss gets a good chance but poor connection. Good defending by Hoever gives Spurs a corner which Joao clears
Good play from Spurs ends with a shot tipped over by Rui. Up other end Vitinha gets a shot away but no power. Kane hits the post & then Alli hits the same post with the rebound!!!!Rui actually got a hand to Kane’s shot. And another save from Rui
Interesting duel between Bale & Semedo.
Willian Jose replaces Vitinha
Hoever should not have been beaten by Reguillon, Son played in Bale, Rui saved & Hojberg filled up to score
Spurs 2 Wolves 0
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:05:16:15:25:33 by Cheshire wolf.
I know he scored last week, bu5 I don’t see Gibbs-White ever being a first choice in this team. His passing and dribbling have been poor, and he is now replaced by Neves
Saiss tries an ambitious shot from 30 yds which sails over the bar. Alli replaced by Ndombele - who scored at Molineux. Theo Corbeanu makes his debut, replacing Silva
Tanga game gets the only yellow card of the game so far. Kane gets a shot away but easy for Rui. Adama tries hard at the other end but runs out of ideas.
Bale replaced by Sussoko.
All over &a disappointing but not surprising outcome to a fairly dreary game.
I hope Nuno has taken more from this team choice than we have!!
Spurs 2 Wolves 0
Probably a fair result.
The second goal was a mess. Hoever should never have been beaten out there and Rui didn't cover himself in glory either. At the other end we never looked like scoring.
Disappointingly after his last couple of performances, Vitinha didn't really get into it and Fabio struggled.
On the positive side, corners were defended far better than of late, maybe work on the training ground has paid off, Traore played well and Coady was outstanding, quite rightly m.o.m.
With the players that have been out for long spells this season coming back and, hopefully, a couple of the right signings in the summer, relegation won't happen. In fact, with the players that have been missing available I'm more than hopeful we will be back to the sort of form of the last two seasons.
A poor match all round, not even one for the neutrals.
Very disappointing performance from Wolves and we need to improve five fold if we are to avoid another similar, unstimulating season next time round.
A rest, a good preseason and some fresh faces will hopefully bring about some much needed improvements.
Very poor and I felt 2-0 flattered us, this despite us having three (from memory) very good chances - 2 from Silva and one, self made by Traore. Both Silva misses were extremely unimpressive.
Two standout players for us today - Coady, who I thought was superb, and Traore, the only man in our entire side showing consistent ability to take the game to Spurs. I agree, as a defensive set up, we were stronger (but we needed to be) but as an attacking force we were tepid and sterile. Added to that, an indifferent midfield.
We had 3 difficult matches to finish up on, and on this particular first test we failed without raising a sweat. Considering how we not just beat Spurs on the last two away performances, but we out fought them, with spirit and guile, I’m afraid today really showed up the difference between then and now. So disappointing.
We’ll probably go and beat Everton now!! Who knows, stranger things have happened in football ….. even though form might suggest otherwise.
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